Near Dark
I am thankful for white trash blood suckers.

As the cold, wet weather becomes a constant, I find myself turning more and more to my home video collection rather than brave the insipid new releases that line the shelves of my local video store. It's moments like these that I find myself thankful for the some of the yummy men of genre films, in this case Adrian Pasdar in the 1987 movie Near Dark. Near Dark just makes me thankful for all sorts of things besides the opportunity to see Mr. Pasdar prior to his stint in Mysterious Ways. It also has the very festive Bill Paxton and the enigmatic Lance Henriksen in addition to having the notable status of being a vampire flick that doesn't suck.

Directed and co-written by Kathryn Bigelow before she moved on to direct such classics as Wild Palms and Strange Days, Near Dark offers us something not only fresh but immanently intriguing by giving us the ultimate in white trash vampires, rather than the trite, overused Eurotrash variety. In point of fact, the word "vampire" is never once mentioned in the 95 minutes of running time.

Adrian Pasdar is Caleb, a young cowboy still living at home and just looking for a little fun in town when he runs into Mae. It seems Mae is new to this small Texas town, a bit more than just a fresh face, and she's definitely not like any other girl Caleb's ever met. Pasdar, with his home-grown good looks and thick country boy charm, is one of the great joys of the film. It not only works for me but for Mae as she decides Caleb is just not some fast food snack, but something she'd like to take home and keep.

Home for Mae is wherever Jesse, played by Lance Henriksen, says it is -- a mobile home, station wagon, or custom van. Jesse and his family have to keep moving, leaving a trail of destruction behind them, that at times make me incredulous that the police haven't caught on to their antics prior to Caleb's joining up. Like any young girl bringing home a beau for the first time, there is a less than enthusiastic reaction to the news that Caleb's been bit but not bled. Our young hero has two choices, join the ranks of this rag tag band of wayward blood suckers or get his face ripped off by Severen, played enthusiastically by Bill Paxton, when all poor Caleb wants to do is go home. The story twists around these two opposing goals, engaging the viewer, until you suddenly find yourself cheering for young Caleb to chow down on a local bar patron, a still innocent version of himself. The climatic bar scene alone is worth the rental fee.

Near Dark could have easily joined the ranks of horror movies that suck despite the story, were it not for the overall wonderful cast. It reads like the call list for an early James Cameron film. As yummy as Adrian Pasdar is in his jeans and cowboy hat, Bill Paxton as Severen is the highlight of this movie, once again proving the power of leather pants. The sight of him all gussied up for a bit of nocturnal hitchhiking would make the most cautious red-blooded female pull over. In addition, the film also has Jenette Goldstein, a.k.a. Private J. Vasquez, as Diamondback, another Aliens alumni.

Now I don't want to mislead you -- not all the cast rocks, we have some serious bad acting going on that is more than groan-worthy. Joshua John Miller as Homer makes me hit the fast forward button every time he launches into one his pathetic poor me speeches. Homer is the kid turned vampire, a man trapped in a child's body, an overused character even in 1987. And as much as I love Tim Thomerson for his outstanding contribution to bad horror films everywhere, as Caleb's father his lame Texas accent is a low point of the film.

While by no means is Near Dark a ten stars out of ten movie, it is an unexpected treat that offers up not only drool-worthy men but a well thought-out story whose sole purpose isn't to get gratuitous gore and nudity on the screen -- something to be always thankful for in the world of genre entertainment.

DROOL FACTOR: Did I mention that Adrian Pasdar is in this movie -- jeans, cowboy hat and a lariat -- or that Bill Paxton wears black leather pants and spurs?

GROSS-OUT FACTOR: While you have your various instances of blood sucking, most of the gross-out factor resides in the bar scene with its throat slitting and blood-bath atmosphere.

STRONG CHICK FACTOR: Diamondback is an inspiration to mothers everywhere as she rules this crew along side Jesse occasionally dishing out discipline at knifepoint. Even little Mae does what has to be done, taking responsibility for Caleb and never once engaging in whining.

-- Torrey Daily Simms

Near Dark is currently available on video.

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